Fuel Poverty Project
Sefton Community Respiratory Team (CRT) are working together with Health
Innovation Northwest Coast and Energy Projects Plus, to proactively find and
offer support to patients with a diagnosis of COPD and who are living in fuel
poverty.
Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of COPD patients living in
fuel poverty by delivering integrated, accessible, and proactive care. We aim to
reduce hospital admissions, enhance patient engagement, and create healthier,
warmer homes through collaborative partnerships, streamlined processes, and
targeted interventions.
Using data from CIPHA’s fuel poverty dashboard https://www.healthinnovationnwc.nhs.uk/media/Resources/Patient%20Safety/Fuel%20Poverty/12%20Fuel%20Poverty%20Dashboard-%20Identifying%20patients%20at%20risk%20due%20to%20Fuel%20poverty%20.pdf, Sefton CRT will identify
patients at risk in your practice. The dashboard will look for:
- Patients registered with a Sefton GP
- COPD as QOF Condition
- EPC (Energy performance certificate) rating D,E,F,G or No EPC
- > 50% risk of emergency hospital admission
- IMD 1 (Indices of deprivation)
- Do not live in a care home
Sefton CRT will contact patients via letter to provide information about the
project and then call them to offer a home visit from a respiratory specialist
nurse. The home visit will include a holistic respiratory review, optimisation of
medication and referrals to other services, including Energy Projects plus for
housing and heating support.
Patients who do not wish to have a home visit will be offered a telephone call for
advice, guidance and signposting to other services.
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/sefton/community-respiratory-team-crt